The fuel battery has a separator (collector electrode) constituted by a carbon plate or the like, an electrode with catalyst (catalyst layer) carrying a Pt catalyst and an electrolyte membrane (ion exchange membrane), for reacting a gas, a gas diffusion layer (GDL) made of a carbon fiber or the like for promoting a diffusion of gas, and a gasket (seal) for sealing the gas or a refrigerant, as main constituting elements.
However, in the prior art, since the structure is made such that these constituting elements are sequentially assembled at a time of assembling into the fuel battery, there is a problem that a lot of labor and time are required for the assembly, in particular, in order to assemble the electrolyte membrane and the electrodes with catalyst, positioning is necessary because the position is hard to be fixed.
In this case, with respect to the assembly of the electrolyte membrane and the electrodes with catalyst, at present, there has been developed a method of connecting both of them by using a hot press (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-223134), and it is accordingly possible to utilize a reaction electrode portion (MEA) corresponding to an integrated product of the electrolyte membrane and the electrodes with catalyst as a single constituting element.
However, even when the electrolyte membrane and the electrodes with catalyst are integrally formed as mentioned above, it is necessary to insert the gasket between the separator and the electrolyte membrane at a time of assembling them. Accordingly, in conventional, the gaskets are assembled so as to hold the electrolyte membrane from both sides of the electrolyte membrane, however, since it is hard to position the electrolyte membrane, there is a problem that wrinkles are generated in the electrolyte membrane at a time of assembling.
Further, there has been developed a structure in which the gasket is integrally formed with the separator in the side of the electrolyte membrane (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-133288), however, even in the separator with gasket of this kind, there is the same problem in the case of holding the electrolyte membrane.
Further, in general, the fuel battery system is an expensive, in particular, the reaction electrode portion is an expensive part, and therefore a cost saving thereof is required. According to NEDO report in 1999 (New Energy Industrial Technology Comprehensive Development Commission Research Result Report in 1999, Search Concerning Standard Tool for Developing Solid Polymer Type Fuel Battery: Table 2. 2-1 Cost Comparison of Standard Tool at Mass Production), the reaction electrode portion is most expensive.
The present invention is made by taking the points mentioned above into consideration, and an object of the present invention is to provide a constituting part for a fuel battery which can reduce an assembling man hour of the constituting part for the fuel battery, and can prevent wrinkles from being generated in an electrolyte membrane.
Further, another object is to provide a constituting part for a fuel battery which can reduce an assembling man-hour by previously integrating respective parts constituting a cell in a stack for a fuel battery, and in addition thereto, another object is to provide a constituting part for a fuel battery which can reduce a part cost by reducing a plane area of a reaction electrode portion corresponding to a comparatively expensive part.